What Are The 3 Crucial Steps Of Traffic Accident Reconstruction?

Car accidents are so frequent that most people will face one in their lifetime. The goal of authorities and insurance companies is to determine how an accident happens. Sometimes, the process of investigating a traffic accident is straightforward. In some cases, accident reconstruction becomes necessary. Learning how this is done and why it is essential when filing a complex claim is imperative for victims.

What Is Accident Reconstruction?

When serious accidents occur, victims often need to seek legal help. Learning about accident reconstruction when you hire a lawyer helps victims better understand the process. 

Accident reconstruction involves gathering evidence and coming to a conclusion about the cause of the accident. Reconstruction ensures the right driver is held responsible for the accident. With accident reconstruction, injured victims will gain help in gathering the critical evidence that is necessary for pursuing fair compensation. 

Three Essential Steps Involved in Accident Reconstruction

Professionals take a concerted approach to accident reconstruction and follow systematic steps. There are three basic phases involved in every accident reconstruction. Investigators must carry out each of these steps concisely to ensure an accurate outcome. 

1. Data Collection and Preservation of Evidence

Collecting data from the scene of the accident is typically one of the first measures, regardless of how long ago the wreck occurred. Data collection also often involves the inspection of vehicles, victims’ clothing, and damaged objects, among others. 

Investigators will use an example to collect data. Examples are vehicles of the same make, model, and year as those involved in the accident. Inspecting undamaged vehicles and comparing them to the damaged ones helps investigators determine cause and effect. The following are some of the tools investigators use for data collection. 

• Drones
• Digital video and photography
• Low light photography
• Headlight mapping
• Light metering
• Ambisonic and binaural audio capturing
• 3D laser scanning

2. Analysis of Collected Data

Once investigators gather data, they must analyze it to determine the cause of the accident. To analyze data, investigators will have a variety of tools at their disposal, including the following. 

• CAD drawings and layouts
• Spreadsheets
• Calculations
• 3D physics tools used for simulation
• 3D digital twins of the accident scene

Investigators will perform an evaluation of all collected data and models to determine how an accident occurred. Finally, all the data is combined to form a 3D analysis of how an accident happened. The goal is to gain a full understanding of each event in the timeline and its relationship to the damage outcome of the accident. 

3. Communication Completes the Accident Reconstruction

All the data collection and analysis will do nothing for those involved in the accident if the findings are not communicated precisely. With a full physics-based report of the investigation findings, investigators will present information that helps victims pursue the responsible party or parties in an accident. 

Seek Help From a Lawyer

Lawyers frequently use engineering firms to handle all their accident reconstruction needs. While the cause of some accidents is obvious and requires very little investigative response, some car wrecks need an intensive investigation to determine a precise causality. 

Victims need to get help from a lawyer from the very beginning. Lawyers become advocates for their injured clients and have many tools and professionals in their arsenal. A lawyer will investigate a traffic accident and help their client gain the necessary evidence for proving an injury claim in court.